Close shave for councillors, and charity’s ahead

Leen Braam, Vincie Billante and Russell Ellis the day after their head shave.

A head shave initiative featuring Ashburton councillors Leen Braam and Russell Ellis, and council community relations manager Vincie Billante, has raised over $4000 for child cancer charity CanTeen.

The trio had their heads shaved at the end of the recent council v youth council annual debate.

Ms Billante raised an impressive $2760 of the total and mayor Donna Favel donated a new Fitbit to help the fundraising effort.

Proceeds from the head shave, gold coin entry on the night and the auction raised a total of $4038.

The youth council team of Henry Hickman, Alyce Lysaght and Sophie Kettley argued in the affirmative that councils are relevant and were judged the winners in the debate against councillors Mark Malcolm, Leen Braam and Selwyn Price.